“We had no doubt that Paweł Pawlikowski’s Ida is the film that has the biggest chance in this very competitive category,” said Odorowicz, general director of the Polish Film Institute.

The well-received drama about a young nun in 1960s Poland who discovers a dark secret in her family’s past has already won awards at festivals across Europe and taken more than $3.5m for Music Box Films in the US.

Pawlikowski’s film is widely considered to be a live contender for the award even at this early stage.

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